LEONI, Roberto (Via A. Cabral 71, Cattolica, I-47841, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. Closing element to close a gap (12) of a wall (11) comprising at least a support frame (13) able to be mounted on the wall (11) along the outline of the gap (12) and at least a closing wing (15) mounted movable with respect to said support frame (13), so as to be able to selectively close the gap (12), said closing wing (15) comprising at least a pair of panels (21, 22), each of which is able to define externally a relative visible surface, and actuation means (23, 123) operatively associated with said panels (21, 22), so as to move them relatively at least between a first compact position, in which they are reciprocally close to each other and define a first thickness of said closing wing (15), reduced with respect to the thickness of at least part of said support frame (13), and a second expanded position, in which they are reciprocally distanced and define a second thickness of said closing wing (15), substantially equivalent to that of at least part of said support frame (13), characterized in that said actuation means (23, 123) comprise at least: - a movement member (25, 26, 125, 126) attached to at least one of the two panels (21, 22) and provided with at least a movement seating (30); and - an actuator member (27, 127) disposed movable with respect to said movement member (25, 26, 125, 126) and provided with a slider element (41, 141) kinematically constrained to said movement seating (30), so that a movement of said actuator member (27, 127) with respect to said movement member (25, 26, 125, 126) determines the relative sliding of said slider element (41, 141) inside said movement seating (30), determining the displacement of said movement member (25, 26, 125, 126) and of the panel (21, 22) to which it is attached between said two positions, compact and expanded. 2. Closing element as in claim 1, characterized in that said actuation means (23, 123) also comprise at least a guide member (29, 129) provided with at least a guide seating (35, 135, 36, 136), with respect to which said movement member (25, 26, 125, 126) is slidably mounted. 3. Closing element as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises two movement members (25, 26, 125, 126), each attached to a relative panel (21, 22), to carry out a reciprocal and opposite movement of said two panels (21,22), between said relative two positions, compact and expanded. 4. Closing element as in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said guide member (29) comprises two guide seatings (35, 36), one for each of said two movement members (25, 26, 125, 126). 5. Closing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said actuation means (23, 123) are distributed uniformly on the relative panel (21, 22), so as to determine a uniform movement of the panel (21, 22), between said relative two positions, compact and expanded. 6. Closing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a command member (42, 142) mounted on said wing (15) and able to allow the selective activation of the movement of said actuator member (27, 127). 7. Closing element as in claims 5 and 6, characterized in that it also comprises coordination means (43) constrained both to said command member (42, 142), and also to each actuation means (23, 123), in order to coordinate the simultaneous actuation of said actuation means (23, 123). 8. Closing element as in claim 7, characterized in that said command member (42) comprises at least a pulley (46, 47) mounted rotatable on said wing (15) and to which said coordination means (43) are connected. 9. Closing element as in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it comprises a handle (45) which is axially and angularly constrained to said pulley (46, 47), so as to determine the rotation thereof. 10. Closing element as in any claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises two pulleys (46, 47) kinematically connected to each other by means of a transmission belt (49). 11. Closing element as in claim 6, characterized in that said command member (142) comprises an electric actuator (145) connected by means of a lever (146) to said coordination means (43). 12. Closing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a containing box (16) disposed inside the wall (11) and able to at least partly contain said closing wing (15) in its first open position in which it allows passage through the gap (12). 13. Closing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said closing wing (15) is mounted sliding with respect to said support frame (13) by means of guide means (17, 19), able to guide its movement between the closed position and the open position. |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a closing element, such as a door, a window or suchlike, particularly of the sliding type, having a frame fixed to a wall and at least a wing, which is able to slide at least between an open position, in which it allows passage through the gap and is in a retracted position inside the wall, and a closed position, in which it closes the relative gap and prevents passage. In particular, the closing element according to the present invention is of the expansion type, that is, provided with a mechanism which, in the closed position, determines an expansion in the thickness of the wing, until it is taken substantially to be equal with the thickness of the frame.
Here and hereafter in the description, to simplify the description, we shall refer specifically to sliding doors, but it is not excluded that the present invention can be applied to any other type of closing element such as a window, a dormer window, a skylight or other, and also to leaf doors or other.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sliding closing elements are known, in particular doors, to selectively close the passage in a wall of a building. It is known that this type of door provides a support frame fixed to the wall along the perimeter of the gap, and a closing wing mounted sliding with respect to the support frame.
The closing wing is able to be selectively positioned between an open position in which it is retracted inside the wall and allows free passage through the gap, and a closed position in which it occupies the space of the gap and prevents passage.
It is known that, to allow the retracted positioning of the wing inside the wall, the wing must necessarily have a limited thickness both with respect to the wall and also with respect to the frame. However, this difference in thicknesses causes, in the closed position, a clear step between the frame and the wing, defining a substantial surface discontinuity of the external surfaces of the door and making the wing markedly identifiable with respect to the frame and the wall. In particular, but not only, in those solutions which search for an essential design, or where separation functions are required in open spaces, there is a growing requirement that the doors, and in general, the fixtures, are not very visible, even in their closed position. It is clear that the traditional solutions where the wing, in the closed position, is particularly evident with respect to the frame, are not suitable for this type of application.
Expansion sliding doors are known, in which the wing consists of two or more external panels able to be brought selectively closer together and distanced from each other by means of relative actuation mechanisms, so as to define a variable thickness of the wing.
In these solutions, in the closed position, the wing takes on a thickness substantially equal to that of the frame, defining a substantial surface continuity with the frame, making its presence less visible. However, these known solutions provide somewhat complex and costly actuation mechanisms, for example by providing spring type components that are difficult to control, linear pistons that are very expensive and difficult to coordinate, rack or pantograph systems that are very exposed to wear and need frequent maintenance. Purpose of the present invention is to achieve a closing element, in particular of the retracted type, which has a variable thickness of the wing and where the relative actuation mechanisms are simple and economical to make, overcoming the disadvantages of the state of the art.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purpose, a closing element according to the present invention is applied to selectively close a gap in a wall.
According to the invention, the closing element comprises at least a support frame mounted on the wall along the outline of the gap, and at least a closing wing mounted mobile with respect to the frame, so as to be able to assume at least a first open position in which it allows passage through the gap and is at least partly retracted with respect to the wall, and a second closed position, in which it closes the gap and prevents passage through it.
The wing also comprises at least a pair of panels, each of which is able to define externally a relative visible surface of the wing, and actuation means, operatively associated with the panels, to move them relatively at least between a first compact position, in which they are reciprocally close together and define a first thickness of the wing, smaller than the thickness of at least part of the support frame, and a second expanded position, in which they are reciprocally distanced and define a second thickness of the wing, substantially equivalent to that of at least part of the support frame.
According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the actuation means comprise at least:
- a movement member attached to at least one of the two panels and provided with at least a movement seating; and
- an actuator member disposed mobile with respect to the movement member and provided with a sliding member kinematically constrained to the movement seating, so that a movement of the actuator member with respect to the movement member causes the relative sliding of the sliding element inside the movement seating, causing the displacement of the movement member and of the panel to which it is attached.
This displacement causes the relative movement of the two panels, taking them selectively between the first compact position, reciprocally close together, and the second expanded position, reciprocally distanced.
In this way, by means of only two members, kinematically constrained to each other through a movement seating and a sliding element, it is possible to move the two panels between the relative first and second positions. With the present invention there is therefore no need for complex spring or pantograph mechanisms, linear pistons or other, which are normally provided for this type of movement.
Therefore, the closing element according to the present invention is considerably simplified compared with those in the state of the art, with consequent reductions in costs, and in manufacturing and installation times.
Furthermore, given the operating simplicity of the movement members and the actuation members, even any possible maintenance is simplified, and any possible reciprocal wear of the moving parts is also reduced to a minimum.
According to a variant, the actuation means also comprise at least a guide member provided with at least a guide seating, with respect to which the movement member is slidingly mounted.
In this variant, the guide seating is conformed so as to limit the sliding of the movement element in a determinate direction, corresponding to the direction of reciprocal movement of the two panels between the first reciprocally close position and the second reciprocally distanced position.
According to another variant, two movement members are provided, each attached to a relative panel, so as to effect a reciprocal and opposite movement of the two panels, between the relative first and second position.
According to another variant, two guide seatings are provided, one for each of the two movement members.
According to another variant, the actuation means are distributed uniformly on the relative panel, so as to determine a uniform movement of the panel between the relative two positions, first and second.
According to another variant, the closing element also comprises a command member able to allow the selective actuation of the movement of the actuator member and consequently of the movement member with the relative panel.
According to a variant, in which actuation means are provided on the command member, distributed uniformly on the extension of the relative panel, the closing element also comprises coordination means constrained both to the command member and also to each actuation mean, so as to coordinate the actuation thereof simultaneously with the other actuation means.
According to another variant, the closing element according to the invention is of the retracted type and also comprises a containing box disposed inside the wall and able to at least partly contain the wing in its first open position.
According to another variant, the wing is mounted sliding with respect to the support frame by means of guide means, able to guide the movement thereof between the closed position and the open position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
- fig. 1 is a schematic front view, partly in section, of a closing element according to the present invention;
- fig. 2 shows a section from A to A of the closing element in fig. 1, in a first operating condition; - fig, 3 shows an enlarged detail of fig. 2;
- fig. 4 shows a section from A to A of the closing element in fig. 1, in a second operating condition;
- fig. 5 shows an enlarged detail of fig. 4;
- fig. 6 is an exploded three-dimensional view of an enlarged detail of the closing element in fig. 1 ;
- fig. 7 is an exploded three-dimensional view of a variant of a detail of the closing element in fig. 1 ;
- fig. 8 shows another variant of a detail of the closing element in fig. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT
With reference to the attached drawings from 1 to 6, a closing element is shown in its entirety, in this case a sliding door 10, mounted on a wall 11, to selectively close a gap 12 of the wall 11.
In particular, the sliding door 10 comprises a support frame 13 mounted on the perimeter of the gap 12, a wing 15 to selectively close the gap 12, mounted sliding with respect to the support frame 13, and a box 16, disposed inside the thickness of the wall 11, inside which the wing 15 is able to be positioned in its operating condition.
By support frame 13 we mean a door jamb, different types of sections, or more generally any other finishing element either internal or external, mounted on the perimeter of the gap 13.
The wing 15 is selectively positionable between a first open position (figs. 2, 3), in which it is disposed in the box 16, inside the thickness of the wall 11 and the support frame 13, freeing the passage through the gap 12, and a second closed position (figs. 4, 5) in which it is removed from the box 16 and occupies the space of the gap 12, preventing passage.
In particular, at least along an upper segment of the support frame 13 a sliding guide 17 is mounted (shown only schematically in fig. 1), inside which coordinated sliders 19 are able to slide, which in turn are mounted on the upper edge of the wing 15.
The dynamic cooperation between the sliding guide 17 and the sliders 19 causes a linear and guided movement of the wing 15 with respect to the support frame 13, between the two positions, open and closed, preventing uncontrolled pitching of the wing 15.
According to a variant, not shown, sliding guides and sliders are also provided in correspondence with the lower edge of the wing 15, to guide the movement of the latter even more. The wing 15 comprises an internal frame 20, for example made of metal, a first panel 21 and a second panel 22, the latter disposed on opposite sides with respect to the internal frame 20 and able to define corresponding external surfaces of the wing 15.
The two panels 21 and 22 are mounted mobile with respect to the internal frame 20, so as to be able to assume a first compact or close-up position (fig. 3), in which they are adjacent to the internal frame 20 and define a first thickness or minimum thickness of the wing 15, and a second expanded or distanced position (fig. 5), in which they are distanced from the internal frame 20 and define a second thickness or maximum thickness of the wing 15. The second thickness defined by the movement of the two panels 21 and 22 corresponds to the thickness of the support frame 13, so that in its closed position the wing 15 is substantially in surface continuity with the support frame 13, and is therefore less visible.
In particular, the reciprocal movement of the two panels 21 and 22 is achieved by means of a plurality of actuation mechanisms 23, in this case four, disposed between the two panels 21 and 22 in proximity with the four corners of the wing 15.
Each actuation mechanism 23 (fig. 6) is mounted on the internal frame 20 and comprises two movement blocks 25 and 26, an actuator 27 and a guide base 29, the latter attached to the internal frame 20.
Each movement block 25, 26 is substantially parallelepiped in shape, is made advantageously of self-lubricating material such as Teflon® or suchlike, and comprises at least a movement eyelet 30 inclined, for example by about 45°, with respect to a hypothetical vertical axis of installation.
The two movement blocks 25 and 26 are different from each other with regard to the relative movement eyelets 30, since the latter are made on both the movement blocks 25 and 26 with the same inclination but specular to each other with respect to the vertical axis.
In this case, each movement block 25, 26 also comprises a substantially horizontal guide eyelet 31.
Each movement block 25 and 26 is also attached to the respective panels 21 and 22 by means of relative brackets 32 and 33. Each movement block 25 and 26 is attached to one or another of the two panels 21 and 22 according to the inclination of the movement eyelet 30.
In this way, as will be explained in more detail hereafter, the two panels 21 and 22 are always moved in reciprocally opposite directions.
The movement blocks 25 and 26 are mounted sliding laterally on the guide base 29, inside relative guide seatings 35 and 36.
The guide base 29 comprises two guide seatings 35 and 36, conformed so as to condition linearly the lateral sliding of the two movement blocks 25 and 26.
Inside each guide seating 35 and 36 a protruding guide pin 37 is attached, and is able to be inserted sliding inside the guide eyelet 31 of the corresponding movement block 25 and 26.
The guide base 29 also comprises two sliding spacers 39 and a guide screw 40, protruding from the guide base 29 and able to cooperate with the actuator 27 so as to guide its sliding linearly with respect to the guide base 29.
The actuator 27 is mounted sliding on the guide base 29, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement of the movement blocks 25 and 26.
At the front the actuator 27 comprises relative movement pins 41, which are able to be slidingly positioned inside the movement eyelets 30 of the two movement blocks 25 and 26.
In this way, the linear sliding of the actuator 27 with respect to the guide base 29 determines the relative sliding of the movement pins 41 inside the relative movement eyelets 30. The movement eyelets 30, being inclined, determine a progressive lateral movement of the relative movement blocks 25 and 26 as the actuator 27 is gradually moved. The guiding action of the guide seatings 35 and 36 and of the guide eyelets 31 determines the linear movement of the movement blocks 25 and 26.
Clearly, since the movement blocks 25 and 26 are attached to the relative panels 21 and 22, the latter are consequently moved, varying the thickness of the wing 15.
The actuators 27 of each actuation mechanism 23 are kinematically connected to a command member 42, which determines the simultaneous commanded movement thereof. In this case, the connection between the command member 42 and the actuators 27 is effected by means of relative coordination bars 43, attached on one side to the actuators 27 and on the other side to the command member 42.
In particular, the command member 42 comprises a handle 45, or other element able to allow the user to activate the movement manually. The command member 42 also comprises at least a pulley, in this case two, respectively first 46 and second 47, mounted rotatable on the internal frame 20 of the wing 15.
The handle 45 is axially and angularly constrained to at least one pulley, in this case the first 46, so as to determine the rotation thereof. The two pulleys 46 and 47 are kinematically connected to each other by means of a transmission belt 49.
The coordination bars 43 are constrained to the relative pulleys 46 and 47, so that the rotation of the latter determines an action of traction or thrust on the coordination bars 43 and therefore on the respective actuators 27. In this way, by rotating the handle 45 in one direction or the other, the user determines the selective movement of the two panels 21 and 22, moving them nearer to or away from each other, in order to vary the thickness of the wing 15.
According to a variant, instead of the pulleys 46 and 47 and the coordination bars 43, a system is provided with a rack, gears, belts, chain or other, able to render the movement command simultaneous and coordinated on each actuation mechanism 23.
According to another variant, the command member 42 is operatively coordinated with the sliding guides 17 and/or the sliders 19, so as to determine a substantially automatic movement of the panels 21 and 22 between one and the other of the two positions, compact and expanded, according to the open or closed position of the wing 15.
With reference to fig. 7, this shows a variant of the actuation mechanism, in this case indicated in its entirety by the reference number 123.
In particular, the actuation mechanism 123 comprises two movement blocks 125 and 126, an actuator 127 and two guide bases 129, opposite each other with respect to the actuator 127.
Each movement block 125 and 126 is formed by a sheet of metal, bent so as to integrate the relative bracket 132, 133 attaching them to the relative panel 21, 22.
Each movement block 125 and 126 comprises at least a movement eyelet 30 inclined, for example by about 45° with respect to a hypothetical installation axis.
The movement blocks 125 and 126 are mounted sliding laterally on a respective one of the two guide bases 129, inside the relative guide seatings 135 and 136.
In this case each guide base 129 comprises a relative guide seating 135 and 136, conformed so as to condition linearly the lateral sliding of the two movement blocks 125 and 126.
One of the two guide bases 129 also comprises two sliding spacers 39, protruding from the guide base 129 and able to cooperate with the actuator 127 so as to guide its sliding linearly with respect to the guide bases 129.
In this case too, the actuator 127 is mounted sliding on the guide bases 129, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement of the movement blocks 125 and 126. The actuator 127 comprises, at the front, relative movement pins 141, which are able to be slidingly positioned inside the movement eyelets 30 of the two movement blocks 125 and 126, to determine a progressive lateral movement of the latter as the actuator 127 is gradually moved. According to the variant shown in fig. 8, the command member, indicated in its entirety by the number 142, instead of the handle 45 and the pulleys 46 and 47, comprises an electric actuator 145, connected by means of a lever 146 to the relative coordination bar 43 so as to command the actuator 27; 127, and consequently the movement of the movement blocks 25, 26; 125, 126, and the panels 21, 22.
It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the closing element 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention. For example, it comes within the field of the present invention to provide the application of actuation mechanisms 23 and 123 also to doors, windows or other closing elements, not of the retracting type, that is, leaf doors or other types of doors, where it is necessary to expand the thickness of the wing 15 when the gap 12 is closed. It also comes within the field of the present invention to provide only one movement block 25 or 26; 125 or 126, to move only one panel 21 or 22, with respect to the other 22 or 21.
This solution may be adopted also as a security closing, since once the panel 21 or 22 is taken to its expanded position, it no longer allows the wing 15 to be moved and remains blocked with respect to the support frame 13. This solution is particularly advantageous, but not only, with leaf-type wings.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of closing element, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.